Curry Pumpkin Soup
My humor got the best of me.
I’ve held off on going full fall up to this point, but I have to face facts. It’s only a few days before Halloween. The leaves have changed and the air is definitely getting crispy. I put on a sweater this week. Ugh. To me, this means months of restrictive clothing and overdressing for my body temp.
I feel like many people find putting on a sweater playful and fun, but I’m annoyed because I run super hot since I had my kiddo. Until freezing temps, I wear short sleeved shirts or tank tops because that is comfortable for me. During this seasonal transition time, random strangers can’t seem to stop themselves from asking if I’m cold. NO, I’M NOT COLD. If I was cold, I would dress warmer. Please, random strangers, just stop commenting on other people’s attire. I personally don’t want to explain my postpartum body changes to you, nor do you want to hear them. So please stop asking if someone is cold unless they ask you to borrow a sweater or a blanket.
Ok, focus, Shan. While I don’t love the social expectations regarding clothing that come with season changes, I do love the food transitions that seasons bring. Part of what has drawn me to cooking over the years is a strong pull toward seasonal flavors. I crave food that is in season. In the spring, I want to eat all the peas and asparagus I can find. In the summer, please someone give me a tomato and mayo sandwich and a side of watermelon and I will be in heaven. This time of year, I feel the pull toward something comfortable and cozy. Hygge food. Soup. Potatoes. Carrots. Squash. Any kind of gourd, really. This time of year, my sweater equivalent is comfort food.
Now when I say comfort food, I don’t mean that something has to be heavy or unhealthy (although I never turn down tailgate food!). So I want to share my recipe for a simple pumpkin soup with a hint of curry. It’s filling while still being packed with veggies but, most importantly, it will warm your belly and, if you’re like me, help you remember that while you don’t like fall attire, you do like fall cuisine.*
*make this recipe your own! You can sub the curry for a more subtle flavor such as thyme or even basil. You can also add an apple, peeled and cored, for added sweetness.
Curry Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients:
2 TBSP butter
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ginger paste
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
4 cups low sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
2 (15-ounce) cans of pumpkin
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Combine butter, onion garlic, ginger. Cook 5-6 min, then add curry, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and salt, and cook 2 minutes more
Add stock and bay leaves, bring to boil, then cover and simmer about 15 minutes
Puree, then add cream, adjust water/stock and seasoning, serve.
